Sanitary closure for receptacles containing pourable substances



Oct. 6, 1936. R. E. DEscHNx-:R 2,056,170

SANITARY CLOSURE FOR RECEPTACLES CONTAININCI POURABLE SUBSTANCES Filed Jan. l5, 1955 i ll.

v R/cHA RD EDEscf/NER IN1/@NIOR- ATTokNE Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFElcE SANITARY CLOSURE FOR RECEPTACLES CONTAINING POURABLE SUBSTANCES Richard E. Deschner, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 15, 1935, Serial No. 1,886

19 claims. (C1. 215-73) This invention pertains to a cap or closure applicable to bottles, pitchers, cans and the like for forming an airtight seal on such containers,

allowing quick and easy removal of the contents,

and furnishing a means of returning to the congtainer any part of the contents which may cling to the outside of the pouring lip after the pouring operation is completed. Said closureV is intended for use on receptacles containing ketchup,

mustard, syrup, French dressing, cocktail sauce,

salad oil,`olive oil, hair oil, and any other desired liquid or semi-liquid substances.

It is one of the major objects of the invention to provide an improved airtight seal forcontainers which are used intermittently to dispense their contents. Y j

It is another object of Vthel invention to provide a sanitarydispensing means which does not allow any part of a containers contents to cling to the outside of said container where it would be unsightly and exposed to the action of bacteria or other means of contamination.

It is still another object to provide a time saving device which saves the time ordinarily spent in cleaning the outside of dispensing containers after use. It is yet another object to provide a two-part cap which may be sealed to the top of a `full container to assure the purchaser that he is receiving the original contents ofsaid container.

It is a still further object to provide a cap which may be transferred from one container to another and used time after time.

It is also an object to provide an inexpensive and attractive cap which may be `manufactured by the moulding process, cutting process, or meta pressing process.

Still further objects, features and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

40' i In the drawing forming a part of the present application- Fig. lis a vertical mid-section of my cap showing it applied to a bottle. f

Fig. 2 is an elevation of Fig. 1. Fig..3 is a broken elevation of the cap shown in Figs. 1 and 2, showing it applied to a bottle and sealed.

Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, illustrate the various steps employed in operating the device when it is applied to a bottle containing ketchup' or other heavy fluid. The lighter the fluid, the less it tends to cling tothe outside of the pouring lip, therefore, the inventionr is shown operating on the most difficult substance.

'for the container.

Fig. 9 is a mid-sectional View showingV a modification of the device.

Fig. 10 is an elevation of Fig. 9 showing the upper vand lower halves of the cap sealed together.

Fig. l1 is a View showing `the manner inwhich the detachable portion of the cap lies on any supporting surface.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of another modification forming a third sample,

In Figs. 1 to 8, I indicates the lower body por- 10 tion ofthe cap which is applied in a rather stationary manner to the containerfZ'are passages drilled to connect the annular recess or sump R in the 'part I, to the inside bore of I, and Bis a resilient substance such as cork which holds the '15 lower body portion tightly to the containers neck I by forming a bond between said neck and the inner part IX of the spout member IS. 5indi- Cates the upper body portion ofthe c apfwhich is detachable and has a sliding t within the lower body portion with surfaces in contact at 6, 'I and 8. 9 indicates corrugations vintended to form a gripping surface for a persons fingers.

The cap shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is con-4 structed of some such substance as hard rubber or of a substance known as bakelitet These Vmayv be procured in colors to enhancevthe attractiveness of the cap and they will not beattacked chemically by oil or by ordinary'food substances.

In Fig. 3 the metallic seal band 3S is shown 30 having its lower portion crimped over the top bead 3b of the bottle neck, and its upper portion crimped over the outer joint between'the parts I and `5. K v

Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive illustrate vsuccessive op- 35 erations in pouring with the upperV body portion 5 of the cap' shown in Fig. 1 removed. In Fig. 7, the cap 5 is shown partially replaced. As it is pushed down, the iiuid substance is carried down into the annular recess in the cap body I. Fig. 40 8 shows the fluid being" forced back into vthe center passage or bore of I through the passages 2. After the top 5 is seated downv tight inthe recess in I, enough' uid remains betweenthe surfaces at 6, 1, and 8, to form an airtight seal 45 During the pouring operation shownA in Fig. 4 the ports 2 act as air inlets ifA the liquid being poured is heavy.

'Ifhe weight of the column of fluid r other 50 pourable substance between thev ports 2 and the pouring lip tends to draw air in through ports 2 as shown if the center passage through which the uid is moving is entirely iilled'by said fluid. 'I'he air entering through ports 2 bubblesupward- 55 ly into the container to replace the fluid being removed and the speed of the pouring operation is thereby increased.

When light, thin liquid is to be poured from containers, the ports 2 should be made very small so the liquid will not pass from the main passage out through them.

Fig. 9 shows a modiiication in which there are no drilled passages leading from the annular recess in Ib to the center passage thereof. Instead, an annular space IIIS is provided between the spout member and cap to provide a return passage to the bottle for the liquid when the cap s replaced.

The lowest edge of the top member 5b` is made slanting so that the fluid scraped from surface IIJ tends to remain close to III as 5b travels downward. As the top 5b is pushed down on Ib, it scrapes all but a thin lm of the iluid from surface I0. 5b then makes tight slidingr contact at I2 and as thesurfaces at I3 approach each other the fluid in the recess is forced upward between surfaces I0 and II and thence back into the center passage of Ib as shown by the arrows. The slanting lower edge on 5b could be used on 5 of Fig. 1.

Another feature illustrated in Fig. 9v is that of holding the lower body portion of the cap on the container by screw threads and using a gasket l4-` to form a tight seal. The screw threads could be replaced bythe cork of Fig. l or other equivalent means.

Figs. 9. and 10 show a construction of Ib and Sb'which facilitates the use of a tape seal I5 to lhold the two parts of the cap in air-tight union such as would be desired on a container that Vwas to be transported or stored for a long period.

Fig. 11 shows the top portion of this cap5b as it lies on any supporting surface. The lower portion I2b (which may be wet when in use) is held out of contact with the supporting surface through the medium of the annular boss B by the heavier upper portion I6 which overbalances I2b.

Fig. 12 illustrates apressed steel cap which is made for use on containers which must stand rough usage. The bottom part Ic and the top part 5c are provided as before with sliding surfaces as at I'I and I8. Ic and 5c are also provided with threads at I8 so that 5c may be positively held in place on Ic. A gasket 20 forms an air-tight seal and passages 2l allow any fluid caught by the cap to drain back into the container any residue of a pourable substance. In this View the container 26 is shown provided with a circular upstanding ange 21 around its outlet opening 28 and the part 5c is furnished with an expanded base portion 29 which is channel shaped in cross section to` fit within said flange 21.

With further regard to the sealing means shown in Fig. 3, the rubber portion or cap 5 has abutting Contact with Vthe annular recess R at -points 6, 'I and 8, as indicated in Fig. 1. The body portion I of the stopper or lower unit of the closure may rest directly upon the upper end of the bottle or other container. The upstanding outer ange I;f of the stopper portionts aroun-d the base portion 5b of the cap. The seal band 3s has an inwardly crimped upper portion which overlaps the joint between the parts' I f and 5b, a gasket 5g (Fig. 3) being shown interposed betweensaid joint and the crimped part of the seal.

It is obvious that the -invention 'is-'not limited entirely .to the embodiments shownin the drawing, butmay be applied to still other types of containers and may be modified within the skill of those versed in the art.

I claim:

1. A device of the kind described comprising a spout portion for pouring and having a cavity provided With relatively small drainage passages communicating with said spout portion, and means projectable into said cavity for directing residue from said spout portion after pouring thru said passages into said spout portion.

2. A device of the kind described comprising a spout having an overflow reservoir provided with a passage communicating with said spout, and means projectable into said reservoir for directing residual overow back into said spout.

3. A closure construction for bottles and the like comprising; a spout member permanently attached to the bottle and having a liquid-collectingrecess extending around the spout portion i .on'the neck of. said container, and a cover for said part, a portion of said cover extending into said sump and directing any residue from said container, which remains in said sump after pouring, back into the body portion of said container.

5. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a container: of a closure therefor comprising a two-part cap, means tosecure one of said parts to the other and the combination of the two to a container, one of said parts having an upwardly directed structure forming an open mouth and the otherof. said parts having a structure slidable within said mouth and one of said parts cooperating with the other to direct pourable residue collectible in said mouth back into the container. 6. A two-part stopper, one of said parts being ttable to the mouth of a container and provided with a bore, said part having a recess circumscribing the wall of said bore, the other of said parts being slidable within the first said part and provided with an annular boss to elevate that portion of the latter part which slides within the rst said part when it is placed on a support in a recumbent position. V'l'. A one piece plug stopper part having a tubular portion including a bore insertable in the mouth of a container, a circumferential flange circumscribing said tubular portion, said flange being provided with an upstanding annular portion and forming with said tubularV portion an annular recess having an upwardly directed mouth for collecting residual. overflow, there being a flow-back passage leading from said recess to said bore.

8. A plug stopper having a bore extending axially therethru, means providing an annular recess circumscribing said stopper, into which overiiow from said bore is collectible there being ports leading from said recess to said bore, and a cap, a portion of which upon application to said stopper slides within said stopper to discharge the contents from said recess back into said bore.

VSi. Means detachably attachable to the mouth of a bottle including a recess for collecting residue remaining at the mouth of the bottle after a portion of the contents has been poured therefrom, and a cover part having a portion iittable within said recess which while being afixed thereto will direct the residue from said recess back into said bottle.

10. A device of the kind described having a stopper member consisting of. a tubular spout portion and a body portion in a spaced relation to its ends, said body portion having an upstanding peripheral flange spaced outwardly from said spout portion, a cap having an annular base portion fitted into the space between said spout portion and said flange of said stopper member, and a seal band having an inwardly directed edge portion overlying the joint between the base portion of said cap and the edge of said upstanding iiange.

1l. The subject matter of claim 10 and, there being a gasket interposed between said joint and said inwardly directed portion of said seal band.

12. The sub-ject matter of claim 10 and, a bottle upon which said stopper member and cap are mounted to form a closure, said bottle having an external peripheral bead around its mouth and the lower end portion of said seal band being crimped over said bead.

13. A device .of the kind described comprising a spout portion for pouring, and a sump portion adjacent said spout portion for collecting residue adhering to said spout portion after pouring; and means projectable into said sump portion to dir-est residue therefrom back into said spout portion.

14. A device of the kind described comprising a spout portion having an annular recess extending therearound including an upstanding flange, there being drainage passages leading from said recess to said spout portion, and a closure having a recess which fits slidably over said spout portion for directing residue collectible thereon into said recess, and a part fastened to said closure fitting slidingly within said recess.

15. As an article of manufacture, a closure comprising a two part structure, one part consisting of a stopper having a spout portion, and a circumferential flange circumscribing said spout portion, the outer edge of said flange having an upstanding annular portion and a downwardly depending skirt portion each of. which lies parallel to said tubular portion, said flange and upstanding portion forming with said tubular portion an annular recess, and a cap forming the other unit of said structure, said cap fitting over the tubular portion of said stopper and having a base portion to engage said recess with a sliding t.

16. The combination with a container of means comprising a -spout portion for pouring, a sump portion adjacent said spout portion for collecting residue adhering to said spout portion after pouring, and means projectable into said sump portion to direct residue therefrom back into said container.

17. As an article of manufacture, a closure comprising a two-part structure, one part consisting of. a stopper having a tubular portion, and a circumferential flange circumscribing said tubular portion, the outer edge of said flange having an upstanding annular portion, said ilange and upstanding portion forming with said tubular portion an annular recess, there being ports communicating with said recess and said tubular portion, and a cap forming the .other unit of said structure, said cap tting over the tubular portion of said stopper and having a base portion to engage said recess with a sliding nt.

18. As an article of manufacture, a closure comprising a two part structure, one part consisting of a stopper having a tubular portion, and a circumferential flange circumscribing said tubular portion, the outer edge of said flange having an upstanding annular portion which lies parallel to said tubular portion, said ange and upstanding portion forming with said tubular portion an annular recess, there being ports communicating with said recess and said tubular portion, and a cap forming the other unit of said structure, said cap fitting over the tubular portion of said stopper and having a base portion to engage said recess with a sliding fit.

19. As an article of manufacture, a closure comprising a two-part structure, one part consisting of a stopper having a spout portion, and a circumferential ange circumscribing said spout portion, the outer edge of said iiange having an upstanding annular portion and a downwardly depending skirt portion, said flange and upstanding portionl forming with said tubular portion an annular recess, and a cap forming the other unit of said structure, said cap fitting over the tubular portion of said stopper and having a base portion to engage said recess with a sliding fit.

RICHARD E. DESCHNER. 

